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French school boasts first high school graduate

Kristen Carr's high school prom was a little different than the average Grade 12 student's sendoff celebration.

As the first graduate from Ecole Secondaire St-Dominique- Savio, Owen Sound's French school, Carr didn't exactly have a full slate of other students with whom to dance the night away.

Instead, her teachers took her and her mom out for a special dinner at a local restaurant.

"I had a really nice evening with all of my teachers who have always been so supportive of me," said Carr, who is planning to go to university in the fall.

The junior student population at Saint-Dominique-Savio is 120 students, while there are six high school students. More often than not, Carr was one of only three students in her classes.

For two of her classes, geography and law, she studied online in the school's computer lab.

"Sometimes it's difficult being in a such a small school because if you're having a bad day, you can't just get lost in the crowd. But the good thing is that our teachers could really design our classes for us and provide us with more options," she said.

An honours student, Carr is fluent in English and French and conversational Spanish. She started at Saint-Dominique- Savio in Grade 5 after four years of French immersion at another Owen Sound school. In Grade 10 she decided to go to St. Mary's, but missed her old school so much she returned the next year for grades 11 and 12.

According to principal Chantal Bergeron, Carr's graduation is another milestone in the 10-year history of the school.

"This is very significant. We never thought we would have a graduate -- we now have an extra reason to celebrate, her graduation and our anniversary," said Bergeron.

"(Kristen) is a role model for other students. We asked her to speak at an assembly and it was so unbelievable to hear her express how important this school was for her."

Bergeron calls the small class sizes an advantage, because it allows the teachers to better respond to students needs and to better understand them.